Dan Millman wrote, “Energy follows thought; we move toward but not beyond what we can imagine. What we assume, expect, and believe creates our experience. By expanding our deepest beliefs about what is possible, we change our experience of life.” The value of this statement about reality bears public awareness and accolade, and that is why this quote is included in The Seventh Major Understanding–A Message of Awakening.
What do you believe is possible? What is possible in your personal life? What is possible in our community? What is possible for our global society? What do you allow in your personal life, in your region, and on the global stage? What do you resist? Answers to these questions plant and water the seeds of our harvest. Your answers create ripples in the pool of mass consciousness, and these ripples have no boundaries—they are eternal and infinite.
The cover of The Seventh Major Understanding shows a picture of the ripple effect. Joshua describes the ripple effect once in the book, yet the power of this effect is unmatched. The physical manifestation of the ripple effect is another way that our earthly experience models our whole being.
In the book, Joshua led me to write this: Your impact on All That Is is more evident than you may recognize. You are aware of the ripple effect when a pebble is dropped into a still pool of water. Most people would observe the ripples as they spread over the surface of the pool while being unaware of the vibrations affecting the environment above and under the water’s surface. Your thoughts and feelings are the pebbles you drop in the pool of mass consciousness. The impact of your thoughts and feelings are the ripples going out in all directions. You are a powerful vessel of the One, and the whole is not whole without the presence of your being.
Joshua taught me to look beyond the surface as I go about my day, and I like to think I’m good at it. I gracefully accept that I am not 100% mindful of every thought I think, and the ripples that follow, yet I am better at being mindful than I was years ago. Consistent practice of any skill develops a habit, so my habit of looking deeper has grown. I am as human as my beloved neighbor, and I don’t intend to set myself apart. What I recognize is that looking above and beneath the surface of the ripple effect is a skill I decided to practice, so the skill grows.
What do you believe is possible for you and for humankind? See the ripples spread endlessly and notice the changes happening beneath and above the obvious surface.
Recently I had a conversation with a man I just met. He was in my home to work on my computer. During our conversation, he asked me what my book is about. In my comments I mentioned that the book offers ideas about creating personal and global peace. The man quickly said, “There will never be peace in the middle east until Jesus returns.” I smiled. I understand his position, yet to me it seems as if he is asleep. I thought, how can Jesus return when he is already here? Christian means Christ within, so isn’t Jesus here with us? I heard the word ‘never’ as an odd contradiction. The man is waiting for Jesus to grant peace on earth, so saying ‘never’ seemed to lack faith. Yet, I didn’t speak any of these thoughts. Instead, I told a religious joke. We laughed, and changed the subject.
I made no attempt to wake him, because his beliefs are a personal freedom that I respect. If his beliefs change, it will happen at the perfect moment. I appreciated that the man made no attempt to awaken me from my dream, either. The vibrations of love and respect in the room didn’t change, and we continued to converse with grace. The ripples spreading out from our encounter were peaceful, and that is what mattered to me.
What are your thoughts on this encounter? What would you have done? I would love to hear from you.
Well, it’s hard to say…..how I would have reacted….just depending on the day….I’d like to think I’d have handled the same as you, but some days when the hormones are winning, I may have tried to explain to him my thoughts on Christianity, The Bible, the Devil and hell and so on…..Don’t suppose he would have appreciated my feelings on the subject….hey, I’m a work in progress, 1 day at a time….Lol….
Thank you for your comments. I really appreciate your honesty and your sense of humor! We are all a work in progress in my opinion. If we were perfect, we wouldn’t be human. I think there is an opportunity to discuss different beliefs and views with each other, yet I didn’t feel compelled to engage in that conversation with that man at that time. I’d like to think I would handle a conversation about different spiritual beliefs with a respectful ear, but I know that my beliefs would not shift in favor of Christian ideas, and I don’t think this man was open to my new age ideas, either. At the moment, it seemed very comfortable to just change the subject. As we advance toward a golden age, I want to develop my skill to confront ideas without creating conflict or defensiveness. I have the highest faith that this can be done. Do you have any tips for me?